Buying Exercise Equipment: Making the Decision to Buy an Elliptical Machine

Exercising at home is a great way to stay in shape without all of the hassle of going to the gym. There’s no traffic to fight, no waiting in line to use the equipment, it’s just you and the machine working together to stay fit.

And one of the best pieces of equipment to use at home is an elliptical machine.

The best elliptical machines are the ones that give you a great workout and make you want to use them over and over. There are many different varieties that you can choose from that will suit your needs, and there are plenty of reasons to buy one. Here are some of the reason to consider choosing an elliptical for you home.

They’re Low-Impact

What separates the elliptical machines from treadmills — or even traditional jogging — is that they are easy on your joints and back.

When you run, you jolt your entire body with every step. This can aggravate pre-existing aches and pains or can even cause them, especially if you run on hard surfaces. You can also get shin splints and other nagging problems that will make you want to stop exercising altogether.

With an elliptical, you don’t have to worry about any of this. The machine is designed so that the tracks go in a gentle circular motion, which reduces the impact on your body to almost nothing. This allows you to not only use it for a longer period of time, but to also use it more frequently, helping you maintain your routine and stay healthy. And when you’re finished, the only pain you may have is the good pain of exercise that signals a job well done.

They’re Easy to Stick With

Because ellipticals are so easy to use, you really give yourself no excuse to stop using them — especially when you have one in the next room over!

The great thing is that when you start out, you don’t even have to push yourself very hard. Just 15 minutes or so for five days a week will get you in a good routine that you can live with. But, honestly, this would get boring: so move it up to 25 or 30 minutes the following week. This is a good way to ease yourself into using the machine. If you exercise too much, you may get burned out and want to stop. If you exercise too little, then you may eventually find yourself back on the couch more and more until you realize that you have exercised in months.

Ellipticals allow you to find a nice balance that works you out while still keeping it fairly simple.

They’re Great at Burning Calories

One of the main reasons people buy exercise equipment is too lose weight. And in order to lose weight, you must get the number of calories you burn closer to the number of calories to take in each day. With an elliptical, burning those extra calories won’t be a problem.

You can burn nearly 800 calories per hour with the right routine on an elliptical. This is better than a rowing machine or a stair machine. If you decided that you did want to burn that many calories a day for just three days a week, you could get rid of 2400 extra calories — that is almost an extra pound of fat burned away!

Find the Right Elliptical

If you want to buy an elliptical machine for your home, there are a few things you should consider.

First, do some research on the internet so you can see what you get for your money. Then, set a price you are willing to pay and narrow down your selections to two or three models. Some have more bells and whistles than others, so decide what you want and what you don’t need.

After that, find a store near you that sells the model you want and try it out. Make sure that the tracks match your stride comfortably: some machines have different stride lengths, so you want to find one that fits, otherwise you may not maximize your workout and you even run the risk of injury.

Listen to the machine as you try it out. Any noises that sound out of place — like squealing or rubbing — should be investigated, as this could be a sign that the tracks are out of alignment.

Elliptical machines are a good way to burn calories and stay healthy, all within the comfort of your own home.

Dominic Hancock is a bit of a fitness junkie, and was always the sporty kid at school. He loves his job as a personal trainer, and writes about health, fitness and workouts in his articles.